1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an explosive warhead. More particularly, separation of the fore section and the aft section of the warhead prior to detonation improves the fragmentation distribution along the line of flight.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional explosive projectiles have a cylindrical housing made from steel or another dense metal. When an explosive charge contained within the housing detonates, the housing fragments and is dispersed as a distinctive fragmentation pattern. For a cylindrical housing, up to 80% of the fragmenting mass is dispersed at a fly-off angle of approximately 90.degree. from the direction of projectile flight with few forward and aft directed fragments.
Most of the fragment distribution is perpendicular to the direction of flight and a target slightly forward of or rearward from the detonation point will incur little damage. The conventional projectile offers poor compensation for errors in the up range and down range directions.
There exists, therefore, a need for an explosive projectile that generates a fragmentation pattern more concentrated along the direction of flight of the projectile.